DOT Announces $264M in Infrastructure Grants to 95 Airports in 31 States

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao on Sept. 14, announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $264 million in airport infrastructure grants to 95 airports in 31 states across the United States as part of the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP).

“The Airport Improvement Program helps to maintain our aviation infrastructure and supports safety, capacity, security and environmental improvements,” said Secretary Chao. “This is an important investment in these airports and the economic vitality of their respective communities.”

The airport grant program funds various types of airport infrastructure projects, including runways, taxiways, and airport signage, lighting, and markings, all of which help to create thousands of jobs.
To date this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation has announced more than 1,660 new grants to nearly 1,360 airports for a total of $3 billion. These grants will provide funds for 681 runway projects and 588 taxiway projects that are important to the safety and efficiency of the nation’s system of airports.

Airports are entitled to a certain amount of AIP funding each year, based on passenger volume. If their capital project needs exceed their available entitlement funds, then the FAA can supplement their entitlements with discretionary funding.

Those airports receiving discretionary grants are listed here, while the entitlement grant recipients (PDF) can be found on the DOT website.

• King Salmon Airport in King Salmon, AK, $6 million – funds will be used to repair Runway 12/30 and Taxiways A, B, and E.
• Auburn University Regional Airport in Auburn, AL, $3.8 million – funds will be used to repair Taxiway A.
• Lanett Municipal Airport in Lanett, AL, $3.4 million – funds will be used to construct a new Runway 6/24 to replace the existing Runway 08/26.
• Sacramento International Airport in Sacramento, CA, $2 million – grant funds will be used to purchase five zero-emission electric shuttle buses to take passengers between the airport parking lots and the terminal buildings. The grant also will fund the associated charging stations for the buses.
• Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport in San Jose, CA, $7.1 million – funds will be used to reconstruct part of the terminal apron.
• Van Nuys Airport in Van Nuys, CA, $9.7 million – the grant will fund construction of Taxiways A and B.
• Avon Park Executive Airport in Avon Park, FL, $1.4 million – grant funds will be used to repair Runway 5/23.
• Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland, FL, $2.2 million – grant funds will be used to repair the southeast and the terminal apron pavements.
• Orlando Sanford International Airport in Sanford, FL, $5.5 million – the grant will fund the widening of Taxiway Romeo.
• Valkaria Airport in Valkaria, FL, $4 million – funds will be used to repair Runway 14/32 and the lighting for the runway.
• Chicago Midway International Airport in Chicago, IL, $2.2 million – the grant will fund the 400-foot extension of Taxiway A.
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, IL, $17.5 million – the funds will be used to repair the airport apron.
• Gary/Chicago International Airport in Gary, IN, $5.1 million – the grant will fund the repair of Runway 12/30.
• Paoli Municipal Airport in Paoli, IN $1.5 million – funds will be used to extend Runway 02/20.
• Freeman Municipal Airport in Seymour, IN, $1.3 million – grant funds will be used to repair Taxiway A.
• Dodge City Regional Airport in Dodge City, KS, $6.4 million – grant funds will be used to repair Runway 14/32.
• Alexandria International Airport in Alexandria, LA, $6.5 million – funds will be used to construct a service road for aircraft rescue and firefighting and other airport emergency vehicles. Funds also will be used to install a perimeter fence to keep wildlife off the airport.
• Laurence G. Hanscom Field in Bedford, MA, $1.6 million – the grants will be used to repair Runway 11/29.
• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in Glen Burnie, MD, $7.8 million – funds will be used to repair the apron for Pier B at the airport.
• Key Field in Meridian, MS, $1.3 million – grant funds will be used to repair the taxiway.
• Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport in Bozeman, MT, $3.3 million – the funds will be used to repair Runway 12/30.
• Concord Regional Airport in Concord, NC, $5.9 million – funds will be used to strengthen Runway 02/20 to handle increased commercial activity.
• Sierra Blanca Regional Airport in Ruidoso, NM, $2.5 million – grant funds will be used to repair Runway 06/24.
• Shiprock Airstrip in Shiprock, NM, $4.4 million – grant funds will be used to repair Runway 02/20.
• Sidney Municipal Airport in Sidney, NY, $2 million – grant funds will be used to construct a new 3,625-foot parallel Taxiway A.
• Cincinnati Municipal Airport Lunken Field in Cincinnati, OH, $3.5 million – grant funds will be used to repair Runway 03L/21R.
• Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland, OH, $19 million – funds will be used to correct the geometry of various taxiways at the airport. These improvements are part of the FAA’s Runway Incursion Mitigation or RIM program to enhance safety at the airport.
• Butler County Regional-Hogan Field in Hamilton, OH, $1.8 million –funds will be used to repair the airport apron.
• Stillwater Regional Airport in Stillwater OK, $4.5 million – grant funds will be used to reconstruct the parallel Taxiway D.
• Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, TX, $ 15 million – grant funds will be used to expand the airport’s terminal apron.
• Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport in Brownsville, TX, $12.7 million – funds will be used to construct a new terminal building because the existing terminal building has reached its useful life.
• Farmville Regional Airport in Farmville, VA, $1.3 million – funds will be used to repair the airport apron.
• Warrenton-Fauquier Airport in Warrenton, VA, $1.5 million – grant funds will be used to construct a new access road from State Route 610 to the new mid-field apron on the airport.
• Methow Valley State Airport in Winthrop, WA, $3.8 million – grant funds will be used to repair the airport apron and Runway 13/31.
• Yeager Airport in Charleston, WV, $13.5 million – grant funds will be used to improve the runway safety area for Runway 5 by installing an engineered material arresting system or EMAS bed.

The grants will ensure the projects at these airports are either under construction or completed prior to the onset of the winter season.